The 11th Annual Young Artists Awards‘ gala takes place on Monday, March 10 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. Tickets to the event are only $45, and include a silent auction at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:00 p.m. and the show, including a champagne toast, hosted by Lois Thome of WINK-TV at 7:00 p.m.
In addition to the performances judged by the professionals in attendance tomorrow evening, the program will feature an “Audience Choice” award, where ticketholders are invited to vote on their favorite performer at the event. From a musician currently attending Julliard and a FGCU finalist who has performed in a solo recital at Carnegie Hall to award-winning singers, dancers, actors and musicians attending local schools, students ages 8-21 will take to the stage for an evening of entertainment.
Now in its second decade of service to the community, the Young Artists Awards’ not-for-profit program continues to expand. On four full separate audition days in January, seven panels of 57 professionals and educators in the performing arts from throughout the nation adjudicated auditions in dance, drama, instrumental music, classical voice and contemporary voice/musical theatre. The best of performing arts students from throughout Southwest Florida participated in Lee County’s largest independent performing arts competition, which was held at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.
In addition to the twenty-two finalists selected to perform individually, all performers, including twelve runner-up students, will work with coaches on a group number to be featured on stage at the opening of the event at the Broadway Palm. Over $20,000 in cash scholarships and other prizes will be awarded the evening of the gala.
The 2014 Young Artists Awards winners include:
Instrumental Music ages 13-16
- Finalist-Stephanie van Duijn-Cypress Lake High
- Finalist-Colleen Kilpatrick-Ave Maria University
- Runner-up-Tuan Tran-Diplomat Middle
Instrumental Music ages 17-21
- Finalist-Jake Chabot-The Julliard School
- Finalist-Priscila Navarro-Florida Gulf Coast University
- Runner-up-Elise Sherron-Florida Gulf Coast University
Dance ages 8-14
- Finalist-Kaitlyn Nicolosi-Fort Myers Christian
- Finalist-Sadie Reichenbach-Oasis Elementary
- Runner-up-Jordan Hahn-Oasis Middle
Dance ages 15-21
- Finalist-Ariel Reichenbach-Florida Gulf Coast University
- Finalist-Hae-Yang Chang-Cape Coral High
- Runner-up-Sarah Nelson-North Fort Myers High
Drama ages 13-16
- Finalist-Marissa Zumbo-Cypress Lake High
- Finalist-Callie Atkinson-Cypress Lake High
- Runner-up-Javier Maldonado Jr.-Cypress Lake High
Drama ages 17-21
- Finalist-Tommy Short-Cypress Lake High
- Finalist-Martina Long-Cypress Lake High
- Runner-up-Noelle Aparte-North Fort Myers High
Classical Voice ages 13-16
- Finalist-Bryanna Walker-Fort Myers High
- Finalist-Christian Koller-Fort Myers High
- Runner-up-Jessica Forbes-Fort Myers High
Classical Voice ages 17-21
- Finalist-Noelle Aparte-North Fort Myers High
- Finalist-Sarah Daigle-New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts (fall 2014)
- Runner-up-Carley Levy-Fort Myers High
Contemporary Voice/Musical Theatre ages 8-12
- Finalist-Chloe Lamb-Cypress Lake Middle
- Finalist-Henry Crater-Canterbury
- Runner-up-Mary Grace Epps-Oasis Middle
Contemporary Voice/Musical Theatre ages 13-16
- Finalist-Ian Wolf-North Fort Myers Academy of the Arts
- Finalist-Bryanna Walker-Fort Myers High
- Runner-up-Rene Miville-Fort Myers High
- Runner-up-Callie Atkinson-Cypress Lake High
Contemporary Voice/Musical Theatre ages 17-21
- Finalist-Martina Long-Cypress Lake High
- Finalist-Noelle Aparte-North Fort Myers High
- Runner-up-Diana Ascher-home school
Tickets to this popular event are now available at the Broadway Palm Dinner theatre box office in person, by calling 239-278-4422 or by visiting www.broadwaypalm.com and clicking on the Young Artists Awards logo in the “In the Spotlight” section. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the Young Artists Awards Art by Kids with Cancer project, which assists local families in need experiencing the financial challenges of childhood cancer with everyday expenses.
For more information, please visit www.youngartistsawards.org, email[email protected] or telephone 239-574-9321.
